2 Armored Fists to the Face

[Faceless Ninja]

I like the fact that 2 characters get punched in the face with a mailed fist. Sometimes the violence in these books is a little gratuitous, but sometimes I feel the brutality necessary to get the reader to vicerally feel the awfulness of the violence. The 2 incidents of characters getting punched in the face by steel armored fists worked very well, I think.

I hadn't given it much thought before, but can you imagine how much it would suck to have that happen to you?! Brass knuckles times a thousand. If you had a choice, it might be better to be stabbed or slashed with a sword than to get punched in the face by a fist covered in lobstered steel, especially by the Mountain. Ramsey Snow cold clocks (sucker punches) Theon, shatters his jaw and knocks him off his horse. Theon is lucky to survive. Great moment. Theon thinks he's miraculously saved and that Ramsey is his savior. He's full of relief and gratitude. He thinks he's still in charge. Then, pow! Sorry, Theon.

And if the person punching you is Gregor Clegane, it's pretty much over. Even lying on his back, impaled on a spear, the Mountain kills the Red Viper with 1 punch - caves in his whole face, cheek bones, orbital socket, jaw. Although it would be hard to punch upward while lying on your back with severe wounds and a broken spear jutting from your side, Clegane is not only freakishly powerful, he probably outweighs Oberyn by 150 pounds or more (I would guess that the Red Viper is around 180lbs, while the Mountain must be at least 350). Plus he gets Martell in a clutch with his other arm so there would be no give and his face would absorb the full impact of the blow. Blam, one punch, and so long Red Viper. We hardly knew ya.

Incredible writing by GRRM. Maybe the best fight scene ever written.